The present invention pertains to a package or container for holding a quantity of replaceable knife blades which incorporates means for dispensing the blades individually.
The replaceable blade utility knife is a widely used tool employed for cutting carpet, cardboard, drywall sheets, wood and other materials. With such uses the blades are quickly dulled and must be frequently replaced. The typical utility knife blade is a flat metal blade of trapezoidal shape with the longest side having a highly sharpened edge. If stored or packaged loose, these blades are both difficult and dangerous to handle.
A number of packaging and dispensing containers for utility knife blades have been proposed, see, e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,542,245, Braginety; 3,650,433, Robertson; and 3,827,597, Braginety. The two Braginety devices are relatively complex, each having a blade storage magazine with a spring-loaded follower and a pivotally mounted dispensing tray. The Robertson device includes a base plate with a blade supporting shelf and a cover slideably mounted in the base plate. As individual blades are removed, the cover slides downwardly relative to the base plate, elongating the device. If the cover is slid upwardly to its initial position, for example, to permit the dispenser to be stored, the blades are not maintained in a uniform stack which may result in jamming during subsequent use.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a compact, easily used holder and dispenser for replaceable knife blades.
Another object of the invention is the provision of a blade holder and dispenser which may be used with blades of two or more different sizes without modification of the unit.
A further object is the provision of a blade dispenser package which is economically manufactured.